5 Top Travel Priorities

As our travel options and experiences continue to become wider and more diverse, I decided to ask a range of people what their 5 Top Travel Priorities are. I asked them the question you can see below. It’s a subject that I am naturally curious about, but also I wanted to research and gather information from a wide range of people, so that as we continue to develop this blog, we can work towards giving our visitors what they want.

When you are planning a trip to a particular destination, what are the top 5 things you would like to know about it before arriving? These can be obvious things like the sights to see, but they may be random things that you feel are special for you as an individual.

TRAVEL EXPERTS

Tor Langmead of Aardvark Safaris – who help clients plan safaris to suit their tastes, from the UK & USA.

1. How safe is it? That’s so often at the top of people’s priorities, especially if they’re travelling with children.

2. Unique experience: Experiential travel is huge, of course–people want great life experiences, which doesn’t always mean the most expensive. It’s as much about making memories, getting off the beaten track, having an experience that’s unique and personal to them.

3. Responsible travel: Our African safari clients are often keen to ‘give back’ by fundraising or supporting a plethora of charities. We’re also noticing an increased demand for conservation-focused safaris where they get to see where their money goes and meet the people trying to protect various species and habitats.

4. Education: More and more travelers want to learn something–be it historical on a Township Tour or cultural or practical. Often they learn about themselves. We’ve helped a few young travellers plan a gap year on safari guide courses, that kind of thing.

TRAVEL BLOGGERS

Leticia from trucosviajeros – a blog for the tech addicted and the travel passionate

1. Wifi and plugs. I am a confessed technology addict, so I always research about the plug type and and wifi availability for every hotel, airport and venue we visit.

2. Local markets. Each market has different colors and sizes. They are an awesome place to connect with locals and get a good view of what they really eat at their homes.

3. Currency exchange and bank card usage. I love using different currencies around the globe, but I don’t like being cheated by the local exchange agent or my own bank. Nor to arrive and discover none of your cards work at the local ATM’s.

4. “My” top places to visit. Along the years, I’ve discovered that each type of traveler has a different “top spots” list for each location. On my list, there’s always room for original, different or unique places, like a toy’s museum, a traditional shop or a music spot.

5. Entrepreneurship. When you travel you get to see many different approaches to the same global problems. Call it entrepreneurship or innovation, each city has an area where you can many of those different concepts together, like Williamsburg, Gracia or Pigneto.

BLOGGERS

Kari of Be Happy Tips – a blog that gives tips to be happy in yourself and your relationships.

1. Good restaurants or grocery stores. I’ve been a vegetarian for over 20 years and my husband is a vegan, and while it is much easier to plan around those diets now, we still look ahead to see what restaurants will be friendly to us and whether or not there are any vegan-focused groceries stores around.

2. Transportation rules. We’ve been taken advantage of by cab drivers before, so now we make sure we know the customs, common fares, and whether or not there is a bus! If we are renting a car, we make sure to familiarize ourselves with some routes to where we want to go.

3. Most important places we want to go. It’s too easy to get caught up in seeing everything that gets pointed out to you and not see the historical or important things you really want to see. Planning our days ahead of time has helped us avoid doing things we regret.

4. The airport layout (including all of the airports along the way). We have been lost in airports before. For instance, the LAX was so confusing for us and we had a limited time to catch our flight – and the staff were of little help. We had no idea that we had to go to a different building during our layover. Now we make sure we know where our gates are, how to get there, and what we can expect at the airport. That way we don’t feel rushed or get upset.

5. The less touristy places to relax. My husband and I do not like to be on crowded beaches or surrounded by a lot of noise. We would rather be in a nice, relaxing place that the locals like but the tourists don’t really frequent. It gives you a clearer picture of the true atmosphere.

Kathryn of Homeroommom.com – where you can get room mom and classroom parent ideas.

My name is Kathryn and I love traveling. Before having kids I did a few adventure trips including cycling across Canada and backpacking around the world for 8 months. Now that I have 2 little ones I travel a bit differently but still like to see the world and expose them to new experiences. The top 5 things I want to know about a destination are as follows:

1. What is the culture for eating in restaurants? I have 2 young kids so if restaurant eating is a leisurely event that takes time I like to be prepared with activities for the kids to do at the table.

2. Do things run on schedule or is it a more laid back approach to time? I’ve traveled to places where everything runs to the minute as scheduled (Hello Tokyo!) and to places that are more on “island time”. Both are fine, but it’s helpful to know what to expect when planning activities.

3. Are there sidewalks? I like to know whether I’ll be able to use the stroller or if a baby carrier would be easier for getting around.

4. General safety guidelines. Can we take local transport, how much is it, are routes posted.

5. Are there public parks and green space for picnics? We like to alternate scheduled activities with free time in the park or chasing a ball around a field.